ITALIAN MUSICISM

Current mood: SERVILE
Category: SERVILE Music

So, a week in Italy, and the question I find myself with this morning is::

Am I glad to back in the world of music writing myspazz?

Or do I want to disappear back off into the warm and social includes of rural Italy, to eat and drink all day long without so much as a care as to whether there's an exciting and vital musical development happening or not??

Well...

The musicial position in Italy is strange.

Generally speaking, Italians don't do music in the same was as Brits. That is - it doesn't appear to play an important survival part in their day to day life. Music is more of a leisure activity for the expression of joy and pleasure. It's not a staple necessity like here in fucked up and lonely London and elsewhere in this mean and nasty country...

Why?

Well, I'm still investigating, but I reckon having music on all the time would mess with Italians endless social interaction and more important than this, Italians don't really do alienation and therefore don't need music to breathe life into them like we do......

I mean, community still exists in Italian life. People still give a shit, they still talk to others rather than keeping their heads down and 'keep moving don't look in case the person opposite mugs/rapes/steals your children, asks for money'

Besides in most cases, Italian children are so smoothered with love and affection, they don't get the chance to be properly alienated and lonely, even if they want to be...

Yes boss, from what I've seen, even shy and problmeatic Italian kids are better at social interaction and respect for their elders than the best and most capable Brits.

Yes...I reckon Italians are generally an incredibly secure bunch - they therefore don't need pop stars singing about pain and alienation to help them get through a day...

In Italy, music is still for dancing and singing in the evening. Indeed, a country that has a man like Frank Battiato as a consistent and much loved pop star regardless of the fact that he looks like a middle aged Librarian is a country that values respect and tradition over cool and new musical edge...

One thing is for fucking damn sure, 'punk' made no sense in Italy. Sure some might have gone for the style and image side of things, but I'm certain the 'GET PISSED DESTROY!!!!' aspect completely passed Italian nation by...

And Giovanni?

Well when in Italy, I just sit there dumb most of the time and turn the endless talk into verbal music. I mean I've been going to the 'Old Country' regularly for 4 and a half years now and I should be able to talk and understand much better than I can, but i just kind of let the words turn into sound and have them as music in the background and drift off onto the good Planet Paul and wonder about whatever i please.....

Yes boss, I like the fact I don't know what's being said - it means i can daydream without being disturbed by the meaning of words. I can float around in my own world and somehow the extended family tolerate me doing this thus far..

How long they will do so i don't know...

Anyway...here's Batiatto at his Librarian best...


(No there isn't..You Tube isn't working. I'll post some classic Italian pop later on today...
)

Currently listening : Teletubbies: The Album By Various Artists Release date: By 17 November, 1998

01:31 - 16 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

	Janna	my dear giovanni,you think of italians in a very dreamy romantic way.but it's not like that.most of the italians are ignorants.ignorants of music and there are only few that speak english.so they do listen to the music alot but mostly italian crappy stuff.And not that much the fantastic F.Battiato or other good artists. they listen to dance music and they know only the stuff that mtv shows and nothing else.Ok not all of them but most of them.the fact that in small towns the bars don't have music or if they do,they let a cd playing over and over again is quite sad.Listening to the music doesn't mean that you can't socialize.And you feel lonely too.Not only in London.Everyone is for himself,even at the university.It's not like it used to be in the 70's and in the 80's.When you don't like something here you keep your mouth shut,you don't parade and you don't do any manifestations.And it is one of the most insecure population.They constantly think about they way they will get dressed,about the car that they will buy or the mobile,or they have to be constantly on a diet and go to the gym. i love italy and italians,i am living here the last 13 years but not all things are idyllic.there are good things and bad things,as everywhere. Posted by Janna on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 14:25 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	I completely agree that Italy in general doesn't have any idea about music in the way the UK does. Indeed music creation and taste is one of the few + points to this country. As far as Mr Battiato goes there is no way he could ever have had a career like he's had in Italy here in the UK. It just wouldn't work. Indeed he has had no career here, and if he'd been English he'd have never sold more than 1000 records... I take the point about Bella Figura issues...Looking good is absurdly important in Italy and i think fashion and dress is to Italy what music is to Britain.. Italy is i think in general the most conservative country in Europe. What other national football team has pure bred homeboys to the man and always an Italian coach?? It's a very closed society - everything seems to be about who you know and there's pretty fierce resistance to allowing any minorities anything at all without a fight... One of the main reaons music does so well here inthe UK is because of the ethnic diversity and mixing of race....All the anti-immigration twats want to remember that a little more often..... Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 16:56 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Engrish Professor	I have a theory that countries with shitty weather breed more and better producers, and just think of all the sub-sub-sub genres of electronic music that have been spawned from gloomy/rainy London days... I don't know about the Italian music scene today, but Italy has provided quite a bit of excellent music in the past. Italo-disco (which I'm still iffy about but I do love the extended instrumental versions) and the best Soundtrack and Library Music in the world IMO. I suppose if I had been brought up differently in a place like sunny Italy, I might feel differently about social interaction and casual conversation. But as it turns out, I much prefer physical isolation and most of my social interaction via the computer screen. And I also spend every waking moment acquiring music and information about music that existed below the radar 10-30 years ago. bit of a loser i suppose! you aren't really listening to the teletubbies are you??? disturbing Posted by Engrish Professor on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 16:34 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	Yes, I think your bad weather theory has something to it. But it doesn't explain Jamaica... There's definately some good disco and house out of Italy and some good pop, but not much..There's also the film music.. Good on you for staying in and sourcing all these musical gems is what I reckon. I think you should recieve some kind of government funding. I'm not one for socialising generally, which is why I ususally struggle in Italy...They're the small talk kings and i can't do small talk to save my life unless it's typed... I have a few tracks off the Teletubbies album in my favourites folder. I plan to play them in ambient DJ sets. Some of the lesser known numbers on the LP are interesting and not a million miles away from some of the more childish electronica.. Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 17:02 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Engrish Professor	Good point re: Jamaica. The Caribbean islands sport some of the most beautiful weather and beaches in the world, but I've also seen some of the most shocking crime and poverty in JA. 10-year old kids with glocks selling crack etc. Unfortunately, the era of Dub has come and gone on the island for the most part. Last time I went it was all american hip-hop, G-Unit and dancehall/r&b. I would kill to go back in time to 1976 JA when the dub was really bubblin about.... I played piano since childhood, so I picked up typing very quickly. Won typing awards in high school - typed fastest when I came to school high (go figure) and now I type around 100 wpm. But get me in a face-to-face physical conversation and everything comes out awkward, or my attention becomes redirected to that squirrel out the window, or the crazy bird who sounds like Arp sequencer over there. Squirrels and birds are my attention span's archnemeses. yet i love them so. Posted by Engrish Professor on Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 16:46 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	Creation and destruction always go hand in hand. As do corruption and beauty.. It's obvious to me that direct contact, love and more traditional means of communication are on their way out and well past their best... Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 16:50 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Engrish Professor	fyi - squirrels + birds should be abbreviated as Birdles or Squirds. I prefer Birdles. I really want to say Squirbles but that doesn't make sense. Posted by Engrish Professor on Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 16:48 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	piratepods	casa benvenuta ~ welcome home Posted by piratepods on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 17:49 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates	I am entertained. I did miss all this chatter! :) Paloma (who is bad at small talk both written and typed) Posted by La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 19:13 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	It's wierd that I'm so good at typing it and can't do it in real life. People in the flesh most often scare the shit out of me in everyway, yet i have no fear in writing anything to anyone.. I guess I'm just chickeshit scared... It's good to be back anyway. I didn't miss spazzing particularly. I don't miss anything much. If somethings not there, i just find other things to do... I'm still considering your deal. It sounds generous, but what about my image rights??? Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 19:27 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates	I think 20% is generous enough! How dare you even ask about the image rights! I am certain I have social anxiety disorder. I know because I took an online quiz and it told me so. I sometimes worry that I will not make it through an interview...I cant TALK to people, but I CAN ask them questions... Posted by La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 19:32 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	I think i need a certain distance. I'm not at all quick, so when involved in conversation I'm very easily beaten and outwitted. I don't like this scenario - it hurts my inner child. So I deal with things from a distance, using the medium of writing as an inbetweener.. And in doing this, I often make an even bigger fool of myself (particularly when drunk).... Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 20:14 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates	freak. I will be sure NEVER to talk to you in person. EVER. ;P Posted by La Paloma, Queen of the Pirates on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 20:41 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...	That's a good policy.... Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 21:04 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Hijackalope	what about the theme from good bad and/or ugly? (doolooloo wah wah wah) Posted by Hijackalope on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 19:56 [Remove] [Reply to this]

The Paul Giovanni Music Blog...

That comes under film music.... Posted by The Paul Giovanni Music Blog... on Wednesday, June 06, 2007 at 20:09 [Remove] [Reply to this]